Notebooks

Notebooks are snapshots from our writers, reflecting on current affairs and underappreciated aspects of culture and history.

The bust of the British-French Special Operations Executive (SOE) spy Violette Szabo on top of the SOE memorial in London, United Kingdom.

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The rise of the female spymaster

Blaise Metreweli, set to become the first female chief of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, stands on the shoulders of generations of British women who spied with courage and d..

Helen Fry June 17, 2025

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Israel and Iran square off

None of the would-be peacemakers have yet stated their endgame vision for a de-escalated region.

Peter Caddick-Adams June 16, 2025

An Iranian protester holds up a poster of Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of Iran's military, who was killed in an Israeli strike.

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The Islamic Republic on the ropes

Following catastrophic strikes on Iran's nuclear and military sites by Israel, what will the Islamic Republic do next?

James Snell June 13, 2025

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Brian Wilson was made for these times

The presiding genius of the Beach Boys, the late Brian Wilson, was one of the very best of the postwar generation.

Bryan Appleyard June 13, 2025

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How Nato can defend the Atlantic

The United Kingdom’s vision of a North Atlantic secured from Russian submarine warfare is possible. But it will require inspired leadership, partnership with industry, and support ..

Andrew Boyd June 12, 2025

A young 'hippie' stands in front of a row of National Guard soldiers outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on 26 August, 1968.

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America’s National Guard, a history of heroism and violence

Throughout recent US history, the National Guard has been a recurring player in confrontations between the state capitals and Washington, DC. Now, Trump’s decision to deploy the Gu..

Phil Tinline June 11, 2025

Audrey Rouget, played by Carolyn Farina, in Whit Stillman's Metropolitan (1990).

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Whit Stillman’s comedies of manners

Metropolitan, the American filmmaker Whit Stillman’s timeless masterpiece, is that rare and precious thing: a very entertaining comedy about virtue. Set in New York, it explores th..

Muriel Zagha June 10, 2025

Karol Nawrocki waves to supporters in Gdánsk on 18 May 2025.

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Making Poland great again

Since the fall of Communism, Poland’s elites have failed to grasp the political power of historical memory. Their neglect allows politicians like President-elect Karol Nawrocki to ..

Adam Zamoyski June 9, 2025

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Thomas Mann’s cathedrals in prose

One of the greatest European writers, Thomas Mann, born 150 years ago, dedicated his life to the pursuit of literary form. He left a monumental legacy.

Morten Høi Jensen June 6, 2025